Bicycle



Patented Apr. 18, I899. S. NEFZGER.

BICYCLE.

(Application filed May 14. 1898.)

-il||l||ll (No Model.)

"L lllll UNTTED STATES PATENT EEicE.

SIMON NEFZGER, OF LIMA, lOlVA.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 623,379, dated April18, 189 9. 'Application filed May 14, 1898. Serial No. 680,736. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may Gun/06777,:

Be it known that I, SIMON NEFZGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lima, in the county of Fayette and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Bicycle, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to bicycles and vehicles or machines of likenature mounted upon two wheels having a tandem arrangement, the purposebeing to so mount the pilot-wheel whereby the steering of the machine isrendered comparatively easy and may be effected without any special careon the part of the rider.

Theinvention also has for its object to comblue with the stem of thesteering-wheel a steadying-bar which is at all times under the controlof the rider to prevent the turning aside of the pilot-wheel in theevent of its striking a rock or obstruction in the path of the machine.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a support for thesteadying-bar to prevent its inner end from bending downward whensubjected to pressure from above.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the inventionreference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing fromthe principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to afull disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side View of a bicycleconstructed in accordance withand embodying the essentials of theinvention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the forward portion of themachine-frame, showing the steadying-bar and the support or resttherefor. Fig. 3 is a detail-view of the front fork. Fig. 4 is a detailsection of the upper forward portion of the machine-frame.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The machine-frame comprises an upper reach-bar 1, a lower reach-bar 2,the diagonal 0r seat-post tube 3, rear fork 4, backstays 5,

The front fork 9 has its end portions curved rearwardly, so as to throwthe axis of the pilot-wheel 8 in the rear of the vertical axis of thefork-stem 10, whereby the pilot-wheel drags and tends to remain parallelwith the line of motion of the machine, thereby obviating especial careon the part of the rider to steer the machine in a direct course. Thehead-tube 6 is perpendicular, and the forkstem 10, beingmounted'therein, has a vertical arrangement. Hence by curving the endsof the fork sides rearwardly the major part of the pilot-wheel comes inthe rear of the vertical axis of the front fork, thereby resulting inkeeping the steering-wheel in the line of motion of the machine.

A steadying-bar 11 is applied to the upper end of the fork-stem 10 andextends rearwardly within convenient reach of the rider. The rearportion of the steadying-bar is divided or split andthe separated partsare spread, as shown at 12, and connected by means of a curved hand-bar13, formed on the arc of a circle having the fork-stem 10 as an axis. Asupport 14, consisting of an-u'pright bar, connects the reach-bars 1 and2 about midway of their ends and forms a rest for the hand-bar 13, whichmoves thereon when steering the machine. likewise provides means forsustaining the rear end of the steadying-bar 11 against downwardpressure upon the handbar.

The steadying-bar and its rest are adjustable vertically to accommodatetheir position to the convenience and comfort of the rider. A post 15 isapplied to or formed with the steadying-bar and is adjustable in theforkstem 10 and adapted to be secured therein at the located position byany of the ways common for securing hand-bars when moved up or down tothe required position.

The upright bar 14: is tubular, and a stem 16 is adjustable therein,being secured at the required elevation by a binding-screw 17 or Thissupport 14 in any manner found most advantageous. An open ring or band18 is formed with or applied to the upper end of the stem 16 andembraces the hand-bar 18, the parts being disposed so that under normalconditions the hand-bar will not touch any portion of the the open ringor band, thereby permitting free movement of the hand bar, so that themachine may be self-steering. The distance between the inner walls ofthe open ring or band and the hand-bar is comparatively slight, so thateither an upward pull upon the hand-bar or a downward pressure thereonwill bring it in contact with the ring or band, thereby preventingstraining or injury to the bar.

The seat 19 is capable of vertical adjustment and of being moved forwardand rear-' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new,and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a bicycle or like road-machine, the combination with the frontfork, a rearwardlyextending steadying-bar having connection at its frontend with the said fork, and a handbar attached to the rear end of thesteadyingbar and formed on the arc of a circle having the axis of thefork-stem for its center, of a rest applied to the machine-frame andhaving a portion encircling the hand-bar and normally out of contacttherewith to admit of the self-steering of the wheel and adapted to comein contact with the hand-bar and brace it on the application of upwardor downward pressure upon the said hand-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. In a bicycleor like machine, the combination with the front fork; arearwardly-extending steadying-bar adjustable vertically with referenceto the, fork-stem and having direct connection therewith at its forwardend, and having its rear end portion spread, and a hand-bar secured tothe rear terminals of the separated parts of the steadyingbar and curvedon the arc of a circle having the axis of the fork-stem for its center,of an upright bar forming a part of the machineframe and bracing it, astem having adjustable connection with the upright bar, and a rest atthe upper end of said bar consisting of an open ring or band encirclingthe handbar and normally out of contact therewith and adapted to engagewith and brace said hand-bar on the application of upward or downwardpressure to the hand-bar, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

